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In the press today…
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE Collector’s and Limited Editions unveiled!
Ahead of the launch of FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE Square Enix Ltd., SQUARE ENIX today revealed details of the Collector’s Edition, Limited Edition and Digital Editions, available on 11th July for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system.
The coveted Collector’s Edition, now available to pre-order exclusively from the Square Enix Online Store in limited quantities, will include a copy of the game as well as;
- “Judge Magisters” Mini Bust Set: Featuring busts of Judges Bergan, Drace, Gabranth, Ghis, and Zargabaath available exclusively to the Collector’s Edition and not sold separately
- Selection of soundtrack music from famed composer Hitoshi Sakimoto
- Steelbook featuring exclusive art to the Collector’s Edition
- Set of Six Art Cards: Featuring Vaan, Ashe, Basch, Fran & Balthier, Penelo and World of Ivalice
- Background Music DLC: allowing fans to listen to the high-quality FINAL FANTASY XII original soundtrack in-game
A Limited Edition will be available to pre-order, including the game, an exclusive steelbook featuring artwork by renowned illustrator Akihiko Yoshida (FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, FINAL FANTASY XIV, NieR: Automata), as well as Background Music DLC.
Fans who pre-order the game digitally from the PlayStation Store will receive a static PlayStation 4 system theme and four music tracks by composer, Hitoshi Sakimoto, to be unlocked upon release.
Additionally, SQUARE ENIX also announced that WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY players can look forward to the arrival of Balthier from FINAL FANTASY XII, who will be available as a downloadable champion summon in game from the 23rd March. Further information will follow at a later date.
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE will be available for the PlayStation 4 on 11th July 2017. For more information, visit: www.finalfantasyxii.com
DUST OFF YOUR THIGH-HIGH BOOTS AND GET YOUR CAPE DRY CLEANED – 88 HEROES NEEDS CHAMPIONS FRESH FROM THE FIGHT
Rising Star Games today announced that 88 Heroes, the chaotic 2D action platform game from acclaimed development studio Bitmap Bureau, will release on March 24. The furiously fast, frantic, funny and fan-pleasing platformer will be available on the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One. 88 Heroes will also be released in physical boxed form exclusively for the PlayStation 4 system and will feature additional exclusive content.
Watch the 88 Heroes trailer here.
88 Heroes is packed with hilarious content with nerd culture references and constant challenge as each new hero will dramatically change how to play through various levels. The game is a chaotic 2D platformer that is as fun to watch as it is to play, where each level completed or untimely death brings a new uniquely skilled hero into the action. With just 88 minutes to complete all 88 levels, players will need every one of the 88 heroes to stop the dastardly Dr. H8 from destroying the Earth! Are you up to the challenge?
88 Heroes Key Features:
- 88 unique and original playable characters, each with their own skills and abilities that may help – or hinder! – the player.
- Hero order is randomly selected with each play, meaning players will always face a fresh and varied challenge.
- 88 levels across 4 zones to conquer, each with its own unique boss encounter.
- Multiple game modes including: Magnificent 8 mode – choose a team of just 8 heroes to tackle the entire game with; Solo mode – pick just one hero and master their skills in order to survive as long as you can.
- 2 additional heroes and 8 new levels in H8 Mode are featured exclusively to the physical boxed edition.
- Watch the action from Dr. H8’s lair as he tries to thwart your plans, drinks coffee, takes bathroom breaks and berates his accident-prone henchmen.
- More heroes incoming with DLC!
For more information on 88 Heroes, please visit the official site: 88heroes.com.
Experience the Sensory Input System in Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs
Take a closer look at the unique visual novel gameplay system of Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs, coming to Steam this week, March 17.
Go on an eye-opening journey through the mysterious underworld of Tokyo and experience a life-or-death battle against the spirits lurking within the darkness as a member of the Gate Keepers, an occult magazine editorial team that doubles as a squad of ghost hunters and exorcists.
As mysterious events transpire, our heroes live out their school days. Decide the fate of your relationship with the other characters through your actions!
Sensory Input system
Choose an emotion and connect it with a sense to create over 26 different combination of actions in each situation. These will lead to different reactions from the characters around you, which in turn, affects your relationship with them.
Emotions:
- Love
- Friendship
- Anger
- Sadness
- Anxiety
Senses:
- Taste
- Smell
- Hearing
- Sight
- Touch
Combine emotions and senses
Using the Sensory input system, you can create a large variety of expressions to interact with the world. For example, choosing [Friendship + Touch] may lead to a handshake, while [Sadness + Sight] may lend you a sympathetic gaze. On the flipside, you can engage in more absurd behaviour, like combining [Love] with [Taste] or maybe [Anger] with [Smell], leading to hilarious and/or horrendous situations. Master the Sensory Input system for unprecedented interactivity!
Depending on how you engage with your fellow students, you can trigger special events and they may join your Gate Keepers team or even start a romance! But be careful as you may blow it for good by saying or doing the wrong thing. The high school simulation may have gotten too real for comfort!
With an expanded story, the new ‘Daybreak’ scenario and an improved battle system, Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs is the ultimate edition of Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters!
Visit the Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs Steam page:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/425460
Check out the Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs Steam trailer:
https://youtu.be/ZbgLwXclQdg
CRICKLE selected by Amazon for “Wall of Winners”!
Crickle Ltd is proud and delighted to announce that Crickle was among 24 recently published apps selected for Amazon’s “Wall of Winners”.
The 24 winning apps can be viewed here: http://dev.amazonappservices.com/spotlightwinners.html
The winning list includes an app from the popular BBC series, Earth and an app designed to help learner drivers pass the DVLA test. The initiative is part of Amazon’s “UK Developer Season”. Amazon are keen to ensure the excellent apps being produced in the UK are brought to the attention of smart phone owners. In compiling the list, Amazon said they ”were spoilt for choice but had managed to select 24”.
Since launching in the Amazon app store on 22 February 2017, Crickle has proven popular with word loving smart phone owners.
The app is located within the Amazon store here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crickle-Ltd/dp/B06W9NQRP2/ref=sr_1_1?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1489180107&sr=1-1&keywords=crickle#customerReviews
Pine, an adapting action adventure game, reaches €30.000 in 3 days on Kickstarter!
On March 9, Dutch game development company Twirlbound launched their 32-day Kickstarter campaign for Pine, an action adventure game that adapts to players through advanced AI and an intricate game ecology.
The game, inspired by the adventurous Zelda-series combined with the dynamic choice-based progression of the Fable-series, has been topping the Kickstarter charts since. With over 1,100 backers on board, Pine seems off to a good start.
Keystone Games is a developer and publisher with a difference!
Keystone Games has hit the ground running as the new kid on the block in publishing and development. Backed by huge investment and the support business leaders from across the world and key industry hires, Keystone Games is set to become a new force in product publishing and development globally. With development and publishing staff in the UK, USA and Asia the company is rapidly becoming the new go-to brand for developers looking for a home. Additionally, with titles split across three studios Keystone is set to launch a slew of triple A internal titles in 2017.
The company has partnered with major organisations, including the release of official expansion packs for Microsoft Flight Simulator X on Steam and a major partnership with Unity 3D. All this in addition to the growing portfolio of internal titles, which are set to redefine open world gaming!
In addition to major corporate investment, Keystone is led by a team of experienced industry professionals, with many years of experience of chart titles on PC and console. Jane Whittaker, the company CTO is best known for titles such as Alien Vs Predator on the Atari Jaguar, the collaboration with HR Giger on Darkseed, James Bond console titles and a string of Electronic Arts releases.
Additionally, another aspect of its business Keystone Games are proud of is the fact that a number of its senior team and staff are disabled. To Keystone Games this is simply further proof that disability should not be confused with inability! Pulling together a number of highly skilled, passionate and diverse individuals, Keystone Games believes that it has one of the most unique and inspiring teams ever seen in this industry. In a unique twist, the company is also donating the majority of its ongoing business profits to disabled and needy children around the world!
Keystone is forging key alliances with third party developers around the world, allowing developers unprecedented royalty rates on platforms such as Steam and iTunes, whilst also supporting the children thanks to strategic partnerships with distributors and retailers across the globe which puts profits directly in to the causes.
“It is an incredibly exciting time for us. We have both major internal titles, external titles and the support of industry leading companies such as Unity 3D amongst our portfolio of partners. I am convinced that we are set to become a major force in publishing and development. The icing on the cake is that we were formed for our revenues to support kids who really need our help. Keystone is just a fantastic company to be a part of!” enthused Jane Whittaker, Chief Technical Officer.
The company’s first internal AAA title, Homicide Detective for PC is also nearing completion for a Q4 2017 release. This first person 3D open world investigative epic has featured the full support of Police, FBI and military special forces operators to ensure the utmost realism, in the first ever partnership between actual murder squad detectives and video game developers!
Frontier Reveals Planet Coaster’s FREE Spring Update
Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today revealed the new Planet Coaster Spring Update, available to all Planet Coaster players for FREE on April 11, 2017.
Spring has sprung! The sun is shining, birds are singing and Planet Coaster is celebrating the new season with three new rollercoasters, three new fully-customizable flatrides and the unique ‘Speed’ go-kart ride to thrill and delight your park guests.
Planet Coaster’s Spring Update is Planet Coaster’s second major expansion following December’s Winter Update, offering huge new creative opportunities for Planet Coaster players. Today Steam’s Planet Coaster Workshop is home to almost 100,000 community creations, and April’s Spring Update will open the door to even more variety and creativity.
But a new danger lurks in the world of Planet Coaster, with pickpockets and vandals now operating in players’ parks. A crime-ridden park will see guests’ happiness fall along with your profits, but security guards and CCTV cameras are on hand to keep park guests safe and prevent mischief-makers from spoiling the fun.
The Planet Coaster Spring Update includes:
New Rollercoasters
- Steel Hydra. Feel the G-force aboard Planet Coaster’s first suspended swinging coaster.
- Trident. Go there and back again with the first of Planet Coaster’s two new shuttle coasters.
- Bakasura. Trident’s bigger, badder brother is a thrilling inverted boomerang coaster.
New Tracked Ride
- ‘Speed’ Go Karts. Design your own karting tracks using Planet Coaster’s powerful track editor and see your guests put pedal to the metal! Who will win and who will spin?
New Flatrides
- Elixir Machine. 360 degrees of spinning, swinging, twisting, upside-down insanity.
- Big Wheel. An iconic favorite from the golden age of theme parks.
- ZoZo. The long-armed ZoZo is another addition to Planet Coaster’s lineup of vintage classics.
New Feature
- Crime and security. Dissatisfied guests may vandalize park scenery, and pickpockets will infiltrate your park to steal other guests’ cash. Keep your law-abiding guests safe with security staff and CCTV cameras.
Visit the Planet Coaster livestream at YouTube.com/PlanetCoaster/Live for further Spring Update announcements over the coming weeks.
That’s all for the news today!
~Ciao!